Safety Concerns Over Collin County Pipeline

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FARMERSVILLE – (CBS 11 NEWS) Both city officials and residents of Farmersville in Collin County are concerned over the proposed new use of a 36-year-old oil and natural gas pipeline.

According to environmental groups, the pipeline’s owner, Enbridge Incorporated plans to pump tar sands crude oil through the Seaway pipeline which runs from Oklahoma to the Gulf coast through Farmersville.

Two years ago, a pipeline carrying the same substance ruptured in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Federal investigators called that incident the most expensive on shore spill in U.S. history.

One of the companies that will operate the line says environmental groups are misleading citizens. Enterprise Products says tar sands, a crude oil mined in Canada, will not be flowing through the pipeline. Enterprise products states the line will carry heavy crude oil which is more diluted and no more dangerous than the oil that has been flowing through the underground pipeline for years.

Rick Raney, VP of Public Relations for Enterprise Products sent CBS 11 the following statement over claims that have been made about the pipeline which he claims are not accurate.